Jamie Foxx, on Life with His Little Sister, DeOndra

In addition to being an all-star of her own accord, DeOndra Dixon is the youngest sister of Academy Award-winning actor and Grammy Award-winning singer Jamie Foxx.

This article is an excerpt from Down Syndrome World magazine, a publication of the Global Down Syndrome Foundation. To receive Down Syndrome World, become a member of the Global Down Syndrome Foundation today at www.DownSyndromeWorld.org

Oscar and Grammy winner Jamie Foxx is a triple threat as an actor, musician and comedian, and he’s also a great big brother to self-advocate DeOndra Dixon. Foxx, who is a Global Down Syndrome Foundation Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award recipient, recently spoke with us about DeOndra and how she’s earned her own place in the spotlight.

Q: Describe DeOndra for us.

A: She speaks her mind and knows that there’s nothing she can’t do. She has such a special quality, and she can light up a room. I don’t know where she gets it. It’s amazing.

Q: DeOndra’s a wonderful self-advocate. She speaks and learns well. What has contributed to her success?

A: It’s the way our family treats her. With DeOndra, we let her jump in the water and swim a little bit, so to speak. Our family just treats her like DeOndra. She goes everywhere we go. She’s usually the life of the party! I attribute a lot of that to my mother. She was the one who was making sure DeOndra went to school and got to be involved in all the activities. She always said, “Get out there and do your thing! Go to school, play, have fun — there’s nothing different about you!”

Q: What’s so special about DeOndra being a Global Down Syndrome Foundation Ambassador?

A: The Global Down Syndrome Foundation has changed my sister’s life. She’s so proud of what she does for the organization. She feels whole, and that’s the most important thing.

Q: What do you hope for DeOndra’s future?

A: That she can live her life with no boundaries, like she’s living it now. There’s nothing she can’t do.

Read the complete interview with Jamie and a profile of DeOndra in the inaugural issue of Down Syndrome World! Sign up as a member of the Global Down Syndrome Foundation and receive the first national quarterly magazine for the Down syndrome community.